Coquettishly

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a flirtatious and playful way that seeks to charm and capture romantic interest, often through teasing or coy behavior
2. Characterized by a manner that blends playful allure and flirtation, aimed at drawing attention or admiration from others
3. In a manner that is both flirtatious and teasing, aiming to attract affection or interest from others through playful interactions

Etymology: The adverb is built from "coquettish" plus the suffix "-ly", and the story of its ending is the more interesting part. The suffix "-ly" descends from an old word meaning "body" or "form", as in "like", so "coquettishly" literally means "in the manner of a coquettish person". Its ancestor, "-līce" in Old English, was the same suffix that turned adjectives into adverbs, and it has been doing that job in English for well over a thousand years. The adjective "coquettish" is the older half of the pair. It comes from "coquette", borrowed from French, where it was a feminine form of "coquet", a flirt. The French word traces back to "coq", meaning "cock" or "rooster", with the diminutive idea of a strutting, showy bird. The English suffix "-ish", meaning "having the quality of", was added to "coquette" to make the adjective, and the adverb followed naturally from there.

Synonyms: flirtatiously, playfully, teasingly